“I am free in my wheelchair but pain does have a say in it though”: The meaning and experience of quality of life when living with paraplegia and chronic pain

This study investigated how wheelchair-using individuals with paraplegia and chronic pain make sense of the factors associated with quality of life (QoL) based on interviews using photo-elicitation and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three superordinate themes emerged in the analysis: experiencing QoL through the perception of self and identity; interpersonal relationships as facilitators and barriers to QoL; and life in a wheelchair: pain experience and management. QoL for those living with paraplegia and chronic pain is experienced as a complex interaction across several life domains. The use of photographs may improve the communication of pain-related experiences and understanding by healthcare staff.